yes, the polo sedan is a b-segment however it has alot of c-segment characteristics and similarly like the new Honda City is a good option/alternative if you don't want to go for a c-segment.

it has a larger wheelbase, rear aircond vents, a large boot.....so yeah it is not your regular compact b-segment ride like Vios, Swift, etc.....so lets call it "maxi b-segment"?

The ringgit has plunged nearly 11% against the US dollar since the end of August to a five-year low, while Indonesian rupiah, Thai baht, the Philippines peso only fallen 5.3%, 3% and 2% respectively.

sos

Well I do think the Suzuki is a pretty nippy car, so trading it for the larger Mazda3 but only the 1600cc variant from a performance point of view isn't going to be a bed of roses, it is an okay engine in terms of reliability but the power output is never going to be enough as C-segment cars nowadays have gotten very heavy with all the additional safety equipment and creature comforts thus it feels very sluggish to drive. I think the older Altis which were also 1600cc manage to get away with it being more lighter and emission standards back then were more relax thus engineers were able to tap out more performance from the 1600cc lump at the cost of the environment. I am guessing you like speed if not you wouldn't choose

Newer cars need to be more environmentally friendly but also give the performance increase people expect from new cars. I am sure you notice nowadays it is quite standardize most d-segment sedans churn out 140-160hp only from a 2000cc as oppose to the 90's when it could output more, well that is because of environmental restrictions which is why the Honda Civic Type-R was probably the last of such an era even the new one has gone the turbo route not because to get more raw power but because of a balance of emissions/performance.

Did you know in some european countries they have a free road tax exemption for cars that produce less than 100g/km of CO2 so many manufacturers are scrambling to get their cars up to spec to get more sales? sos

For your budget you can choose better cars like Sylphy and Altis, Civic is better but you won't be able to get a young one because the RV is too high.

Most Japanese cars are reliable but then the RV is low usually because of things not related to the car.
If the brand doesn't have a huge presence in Malaysia ie. not enough authorize service center/3S.
Another is spare parts availability and price, uncommon cars on the road are good if you like being unique but if you're stingy you won't like it as maintenance would cost you.
End of the day RV is market sentiment and market demand, so what is in demand will have higher RV.
Malaysians are brainwashed to think Honda/Toyota are the best so people tend to always gravitate to those brands so that's why it has a better RV.
Ever notice if a parent would buy a car for their kids and have a budget for a Japanese car below 100k they always either choose a Vios or City?

I've seen the Almera at their roadshow at Midvalley yesterday....wow....with the newest bodykit/special edition looks like very sporty and fast.....but unfortunately it is all just "make-up" it has the same engine, same gearbox and zero tuning so it isn't going to overtake a turtle

However, looking at your budget for new you've got mainly 2 choices for japanese brand sedan:
1. Mitsubichi Attrage (A-segment)
2. Nissan Almera (B-segment)

Although they fall into A/B segments respectively, do note that there has been a new trend lately because people are increasingly being priced out of c-segments cars thus manufacturers are making b-segments bigger and better to be a viable option.

As for used car there are alot of options, what would be your criteria for a 60k used car?

Hi to all sifus,need some advice here. Thanks in advance

1. Brand : Any
2. Budget : rm90k below
3. New/Used/Unreg : Doesn't matters.
4. Specs : Doesn't matters.
5. Transmission : AT
6. NA or FI : Any
7. Type : prefer 7 seater because my wife is expecting soon, so need bigger car.
8. Remarks : Prefer cars that have not so expensive parts and service. And could drive for long run.

Basically I have few cars in my mind.

-2013 Volkswagen Cross Touran 1.4 (A) ; http://www.mudah.my/Volkswagen+Cross+Toura...km-34063898.htm

-2015 Nissan Grand Livina (A)

Alza is not in the list because i feel Alza is quite small than above model..

This post has been edited by fittri: Mar 30 2015, 03:16 PM

I am not sure about Cross Touran but if it was me, I try to avoid used VW with dry clutch for now.

I have driven Grand Livina before, the suspension is good, quite impressive i might say. It is comfortable, soft enough to drive on gravel but firm enough when taking hard corners. The 1.8l engine is good, not feeling underpowered or struggling when carrying 7 people inside. However, the cabin is a bit cramped if u put 7 adults inside. No problem for little kids though.

Other models u might want to consider are Exora Bold and Honda Stream.
For Exora Bold, the cabin is bigger than Grand Livina, the suspension is a bit softer than Grand Livina but still good at taking corners, and the turbocharged engine did not disappoint because of the 205nm torque. Still not feeling underpowered when the car is fully occupied. But the engine noise...

For Honda Stream, stiffer suspension than Grand Livina, great handling but the cabin a bit smaller than Grand Livina IMO. There is hardly some boot space left if the rear seats are up.

Well, this is based on my experience and opinion from driving those MPVs. Different people have different opinion. If it is an MPV that I am searching for under 90k, my eyes are on a used Mitsubishi Grandis 2.4.

Hi,

Of the 2 cars below, with a down-payment of 12-13k which would be a better buy?

Option A: 2011 Persona Elegance H line.
Cost is bout 28-29k, can finish paying in 3 years.

Option B: 2012/13 Proton Preve. (if I can find one still with warranty)
Cost 45k or so, fully paid for in 6 years.

Does the Preve have more kinks to iron out compared to the Persona? Heard first batch has a few issues and there was a recall too. Would I be shooting myself in the foot if I succumb to how much cooler the Preve looks?

This post has been edited by Vexation: Apr 1 2015, 10:31 AM

I think it is pretty common knowledge now that Almera is the cheapest entry-level B-segment car among Japanese makes. I haven't kept in touch with what Hyundai/Kia are doing, probably around the same ballpark price range but the advantage of the Almera would be the large service and parts network Nissan has built-up in Malaysia over the years so it is a less hassle ownership experience when it comes to maintenance and parts -- and getting them on the cheap. Downside is that the car is underpowered.

I've explained before that the Mazda3 1.6 is a solid car worth consideration but similar to the Almera it is underpowered.

I'd suggest you stay away from anything VW especially TSI/DSG as alot of owners have started to boycott the brand by selling their cars and moving on to other brands in protest as VW Malaysia hasn't provided an affirmative action plan for their customers suffering from TSI engine breakdown or DSG gearbox failures. You might want to consider the VW Polo Sedan which after discount/pre-reg are within your budget range. I've driven the car and although it doesn't feels underpowered on normal driving style, it would show up when you're in a rush.

Peugeot's have never really enjoyed good RV in Malaysia so it is not surprising to see the 308T in that price range. Somehow it is funny why they never updated the engine, I feel that 408T is a better car than 308T although the 308T has a better looking design, I dunno why they kept the engine unchanged because the Prince engine is a common engine used throughout the Pug range of cars, I would have thought they update it and roll out the best revised version for all models but instead it seems each model has a specific spec and tune of the same engine. Lousy engine performance aside there are some issues with the engine which you can read more about it here.

TBH if higher spec and affordable ownership is your priority go for either an Altis or Sylphy. Civic is good too but the high RV means you're usually priced out.

is that a pre-reg car or used car?
if it is a used car i don't really see the value in it.
the warranty has run a few years and you're buying at used car interest rates.

2012 VW Passat - this is a pre-reg car going for about 118k, not a bad deal as you get everything you'd expect from a new car (warranty/interest rates) you also get new tires if the ones it had on were too flat/bald being in the showroom all this time.

2014 Nissan Serena - another pre-reg, this is a CBU version which they don't sell anymore because of the tax issues, now all Serena are CKD. I dunno you like MPV's or not but this is a good one as it is cheaper and newer than considering a recon Alphard (which would have to be a 2009/2010/2011 model to be around 100k price range). The engine and gearbox is lifted and improved from the Sylphy so don't worry about a CBU not having parts availability.

2009 Toyota Mark X - my top pick for you would probably be something like this a good executive sedan, it is better than a Camry but isn't as expensive as a Camry. A 2009 Toyota Camry 2.4 is going for around RM93k in the used car market which doesn't come with warranty, looks old and dated, you've gotta pay used car interest rates. This Mark X is the latest version although you don't see much of them on the roads (being a 2009 car) they're still a stunner and technology surpasses a current local Toyota Camry. Maintenance wise? Well, it used the same 2500cc 4GR-FSE v6 engine as the first generation model so similarly like the Toyota Vios it may have a different look but have alot of common mechanical parts below which helps lower production and ownership cost.



can you describe the kinda dent?
anyway, most likely is some frontal collision but maybe not a serious one as nowadays those parts are part of the crumple zone thus wouldn't be worth repairing if it was a serious accident.....or some fat woman sat on the bonnet?

whenever you feel something is not right, it usually is, so find a way to reject the seller.

2006 Proton Saga (M) - it is really hard at this level for cash buy because there are alot of bogus sellers with bogus cars at bogus price you need to be aware. Some cases are "sambung bayar", some adjust the year like it is impossible to have a wira made in 2014, and some are just blatant scammers like this 2014 Nissan X-Trail click on it for a laugh. Going through the mess I found what I think is a genuine sale, the age isn't exaggerated, price seems to be right, and condition seems okay for it's age. You might want to consider the last batches of Saga/Wira at your price instead of the really old ones because everyone knows earlier batches had alot of issues with rusting, power window, etc. Though Proton-MMC engine/gearbox were usually very robust.

1997 Toyota Camry - if you insist on going for really old stuff do consider something with better technology and safety than a Wira, an older Camry like this would be something which gives you D-segment class and size without being a pocket pincher as cars of this era were overengineers to last for a long time, though because of the age you might need to fork out some money for refurbishing if there isn't any mechanical issues with the car. Refurbishing like new tires, good interior and exterior clean-up, replacing worn out rubber seals for windows (you'll notice the NVH improvements immediately), replacing worn out rubber seals/bushes, brakes service and fluid change, mini service for the engine and gearbox, etc. All that plus the price of the car itself would be around your 7k budget. In the end you have a nice car but maybe the roadtax would be a deal breaker

2007 Skoda Octavia - so you might be thinking of stretching your budget to buy a car with a loan but also don't wanna tie yourself down with a high loan or looking for the best bang for your buck? Well, here is something to ponder about. The car itself is really good apart from the squarish design some say it looks like Kia Sephia's bigger brother but this brand suffered a huge problem at Malaysia which is why used cars are languishing in the bargain basement price range when new this would cost you over RM150k (it is a continental C-segment afterall). Although VW owns Skoda and Audi in Malaysia it is quite different iinm....Audi (DRB-Hicon via Euromobil), VW (Federal Auto via FA Wagen/Volkswagen Group Malaysia Sdn Bhd), and Skoda (Berjaya via Bermaz). Although there is high compatibility in terms of parts and models they're all owned by 3 different big boys. Although you might think Federal Auto is just the dealer for Volvo's (a dying business) they've been in the business since 1960's and have a long a history as C&C (for Mercedes) in Malaysia, additionally now they also own Mitsubishi and Volkswagen. So back to buying a Skoda, although Bermaz has decided to drop the brand from active development you're still able to get parts from it via VW/Audi and Skoda specific stockist. Do read this link, it was written by a fellow forummer on his journey with a Skoda Octy.


Something to ponder.

In recent times the seats for Honda's seem to be on the firmer side while Nissan have become quite softer and more comfortable.
This really depends on personal taste like a bed, some prefer firm some prefer soft.

Hi bro, i prefer a sedan and age not >5 years. Im staying away from VW as I heard lots of complaint about it. Toyota Mark X is a good choice but its kinda old edi. about 6 y o

so what's your call?

Hello to the sifus, any advice on this?

1. Brand : Any, no Proton or Perodua
2. Budget : RM70k below
3. New/Used/Unreg : Doesn't matter.
4. Specs : Doesn't matter.
5. Transmission : Both also can
6. NA or FI : Any
7. Type : B or C-Segment.
8. Remarks : I want to switch out of a shitty Proton Satria and ride in something comfortable. Gadgets and tech are quite nice to have so that will affect my purchasing decision. Preferably something with a bit of power will also be good.

U might want to look at:
1. Honda Civic FD year 2008
2. Nissan Sylphy year 2011
3. Mazda 3 year 2011
4. Mitsubishi Lancer GT year 2009

Recommended to get the 2.0l engine.

Thank you for the reply How is the maintenance of the Mazda 3 2011? I was looking at it and it looks like a nice car. Any issues I should be aware of?

This post has been edited by PeacefulDiscord: Apr 2 2015, 03:09 PM

I am not sure as I don't own one. I have driven my friend's Mazda 3 2.0l hatchback model and the ride is good. suspension is firm, good at taking corners. performance is also good for occasional spirited driving. rear seats are a bit cramp, the legroom is not big enough for tall people. Maintenance wise, I did not asked him

Last 3 years I had the same dilemma as you, and those 4 cars came in mind. Lastly I chose Civic FD.

Hello guys, hoping you guys can give advice on this..

1. Brand : Any
2. Budget : RM120k below
3. New/Used/Unreg : New
4. Specs : Any
5. Transmission : Any
6. NA or FI : Any
7. Type : Sedan
8. Remarks : Do a quick googling - civic, altis, elantra, cerato - any opinion on these cars? comparison maybe? which 1 should i choose? or are there better model that i missed?

thanks in advance

1. Brand : any
2. Budget : 50k
3. New/Used/Unreg : any
4. Specs : any
5. Transmission : auto
6. NA or FI :
7. Type :
8. Remarks :
Not prefer proton or perodua but since with 30-50k budget, is it better off to buy a new axia g spec, or searching for used car ? Sedan or hatchback.
Have no idea what can i get with that budget.
Interested with previous gen civic or new city but dont think within budget.
or used ford fiesta ? which spec & year to get?
or used mazda(not sure what model is worth to get)


This post has been edited by busyman: Apr 3 2015, 12:03 PM

double posted

This post has been edited by busyman: Apr 3 2015, 12:04 PM

Second hand City or Vios suit with the budget

have u test driven the elantra or cerato?

need more info on these cars, i can help <0124727002>

Hi Sifus, any advice on this?

1. Brand : Any, no Proton or Perodua
2. Budget : 60K below
3. New/Used/Unreg : Any
4. Specs : Full Spec / Any
5. Transmission : AT
6. NA or FI : NA
7. Type : 4 seater sedan
8. Remarks : Prefer car parts & service not so expensive and comfortable which could drive for long run.

Hi sifu wnna get a advice for this
1. Brand : Honda civic fd2
2. Budget : 70k
3. New/Used/Unreg : used
4. Specs : mugen rr, full spec
5. Transmission : auto
6. NA or FI : NA
7. Type : sedan
8. Remarks :it's my first car and have been eyeing this for a long time fd2r is out of reach. What do I need to know about this car for the future and before buying it etc to avoid getting rip off by some car dealer Thz..

Hi sifu wnna get a advice for this
1. Brand : Honda civic fd2
2. Budget : 70k
3. New/Used/Unreg : used
4. Specs : mugen rr, full spec
5. Transmission : auto
6. NA or FI : NA
7. Type : sedan
8. Remarks :it's my first car and have been eyeing this for a long time fd2r is out of reach. What do I need to know about this car for the future and before buying it etc to avoid getting rip off by some car dealer Thz..

I'll be getting a car 3 months down the road. So far I'm thinking to either get a good second hand Fiesta or a new Myvi/Iriz for that kind of price range. I'm trying to scour all the available information I have in here but still couldn't make up my mind. I was advised to not get a Fiesta due to its jerky gearbox, which my friend who is driving it attest to it as well, but so far he's ok with the car. Whereas my colleague tells me don't get that car. Now, I'm the kind of the guy who wants the car to last long without actually feeling the car aged quickly as how a local car would.

I do plan on test driving these cars before buying it while taking into few points for consideration.

Any thoughts/opinion you can share would be appreciated. I need some points to ponder.